Molding apparatus



Sept. 12, 1944. w. (3. DE BERG, JR 2,357,879

MOLDING APPARATUS v Filed March 24, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNE p 1944- w. ca. DE BERG, JR 2,357,879

MOLDING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1942 2Sheets-Sheec 2 lNVENTQR Walter de ,Ber ,JI'.

W WS? ATTORNEYS Patented Sept. 12, 1944 UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE 2,357,879 MOLDING APPARATUS Walter G. de Berg, Jr., Westwood, N. J.

Application March 24, 1942, Serial No. 435,942

7 Claims. (01. 144281) This invention relates to a press for use in connection with the production of molded articles.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a press for making molded articles which is simple, thoroughly practicable, and durable in use. Another object of this invention is to provide a new and improved construction of the above character. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character in which veneered articles may be easily and quickly produced. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character which unskilled labor may be easily taught to efliciently operate. Another object is to provide a construction of the above character in which, when a number of different veneered articles are being produced at the same time, the failure of any container in which any article is enclosed does not affect pressure conditions within the compression chamber. Another object is to provide a construction in which the air or other fluid in the containers within which the veneered articles are being produced is exhausted into the compression chamber during the compression period. A further object is to produce a construction of the above character in which the exhaustion of the air from within the containers in which the veneered articles are being produced is efiected by the compression fluid entering the compression chamber. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter. r

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements, and arrangements of parts, all as will be illustratively described herein, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings in which is shown one of the various possible embodiments of this invention,

Figure 1 illustrates the first step of the method in which a mandrel with the veneering material thereon is placed within a collapsible container;

Figure 2 illustrates the second step of the method in which apparatus for exhausting air from the collapsible container is connected to the mouth of the container;

Figure 3 illustrates the next step in the method in which air or other fluid is exhausted from the collapsible container;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a portion of a mandrel having veneering material applied thereto;

the compression chamber as it would appear in use; and

Figure 6 is a vertical section of the apparatus used for exhausting air from the collapsible container.

Similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views of the drawwas.

Referring first to Figure 5, the veneering apparatus includes a compression chamber, generally indicated at l0, having shelves therein for supporting the veneered articles being. produced. Collapsible containers II and 68, which form fluid-tight coverings for the veneering material and its mandrelif one is used, have their mouths connected to air exhaustion apparatuses, generally indicated at [2 and I3. Through these apparatuses a Vacuum can be first drawn on the collapsible containers before they are placed in the compression chamber, and then, when the apparatuses have been connected to the com pression fluid inlet, they utilize the compression fluid flowing into the chamber to further exhaust air and other fluids from the collapsible containers into the chamber. A variety of different types of compression fluids may be used, the chamber shown being adapted to use air or steam,

or a combination of both. An adjustable exhaust valve is provided to maintain a constant degree of pressure within the chamber once the desired degree of pressure is reached. Heating and cooling apparatuses are provided within the chamber so that the temperature therein may be raised or lowered as desired.

In this veneer press a mandrel may or may not be used, its use being determined by the requirements of the article being made. Furthermore, the molded article may be made from a variety of different materials. For purposes of illustration,

the use of a mandrel I4 or oval shape is shown therethrough of the compression fluid or other Figure 5 is a vertical diagrammatic section of fluids which may be present in the compression chamber. The mouth iii of the container is connected to a conduit ll of air exhaustion appara-;

form an air-tight connection between the mouth of container I l and the air exhaustion apparatus.

As best shown in Figure 6, conduit ll of the air exhaustion apparatus, which is preferably made of metal, is threaded-into one of the openings of a T-connection 15. One side of a valve, generally indicated at 20, is connected to another of the openings in T-connection I9. This valve is of the usual type, comprising handle 2|, valve seat 22, and valve gate 23. Suitable gaskets (not shown) are provided around the stem of valve handle 2| to prevent leakage of air therearound.

By turning handle 2|, valve gate 22 is moved to open or close the valve as desired. A conduit 40 is connected to the other side of valve 26 for purposes to be disclosed more fully hereinafter.

A nipple 24 forms the connection between the third openin of T-connection l9 and a check valve, generally indicated at 25. Check valve 25 includes a seat 26 against which a ball 21,

shown may be either compressed air or high which forms the gate of the valve, is pressed by a spring 28. Spring 28 extends between ball 21 and a plug 29 threaded into the valve body 3|, and to adjust the tension of spring 28 against ball 21, plug 29 may be turned by its head 38 into the valve body 3! until the desired pressure of ball 2'! against valve seat 26 is reached. As the valve seat is positioned to the right of the check valve 25, as viewed in Figure '6, around the opening in the valve leading to nipple 24, and as ball 2! covers this seat and is held thereagainst by spring 28, air or other fluid cannot flow through this valve to the right as viewed in this figure. I

Air can 'flow through this valve to the left, as viewed in Figure 6, by raising ball 21 from its seat against the tension of spring 28, and this airflows into the's'pace 32 in the lower portion of the check. valve. This space is connected to an ejector unit, generally indicated at 33, by a nipple 34. The body 35 of the ejector unit forms an'annular-shaped jacket around the nozzle 36 through which the compression fluid enters the ejector. The upper portion of the nozzle extends through the top of body 35, forming a neck 31 to which a hose 43, made of rubber or other suitable flexible material, is connected by a removable clamp 38. The lower portion of the body of the ejector tapers inwardly below nozzle 36 to form a second ,nozzle 39, the opening in which is positioned directly beneath the opening in nozzle 36. Nipple 34 enters the portion of the body of the ejector unit which jackets nozzle 36, and thus, when the compression fluid passes through nozzles 36 and 39, air is drawn to the left, as viewed in Figure 6, from container ll through conduit [1, T-connection l9, nipple 24, check valve 25, and nipple 34. All of the connections between. the various parts of the exhaustion apparatus are air-tight and are preferablyof strong construction so that they are not affected by the pressure within the compression chamber. a

Referring now to Figure 5, the compression chamber I0 includes a cylindrically shaped body 44 having one end closed by a head 45. An annular flange 46 extends inwardly from the other end of body 44, the space enclosed by the periphery of the flange providing the entrance into the compression-chamber. This space is adapted to be closed by a manhole cover, generally indicatedat 41, havin an annular flange 48 'formed thereon which, when the manhole is clamped to the compression chamber, extends through the pressure steam, or a combination of both. The compressed air enters the chamber through conduit 5|, valve 52, and enclosure member 53. Conduit 5| enters cylindrically shaped enclosure member 53 adjacent the top thereof. The lower end of enclosure member 53 is connected to the body 44 of tank Ill, and a conduit 54 in communication with the interior'of enclosure member '53 forms the connection between the interior of the compression chamber and the space in enclosure member 53. The high pressure steam passes through conduit 55 and valve 56 through the upper end of enclosure member 53 and terminates in a nozzle 51 spaced above the lower end of enclosure member 53 and positioned directly over the upper end of conduit 54. As can be clearly seen in Figure 5, the diameter of the space within the enclosure member 53 is substantially greater than the outer diameter of conduit 55. Thus, the enclosure member jackets the steam conduit 55, and when both the compressed air and steam are enteringthe compression chamber at the same time, the air is heated by the steam passing through conduit 55 prior to the mixing of the air and steam at the lower end of the enclosure member;

An adjustable exhaust valve, generally indicated at 58, is provided to permit the pressure within the compression chamber to be regulated and also to permit circulationof the compression fluid through the chamber. The exhaust valve may be of any suitable adjustable type, the valve shown including a body having an opening (not shown) extending therethrough in communication both with the interior of the chamber and with the external atmosphere. 'A plug (not shown) which normally closes this opening is pivotally connected by its stem 59 to a lever arm 60. Lever arm 60 is pivotally mounted on the valve body 6| by a bracket .62 and a pivot pin 63. A weight64, adjustable longitudinally of lever arm '60, is connected .to 'arm 60' by a loop member 65. Thus, normally weight 64, acting through lever arm 60 and stem 59, holds the valve plug in' its seat the valve body. In operation, the weight is adjusted on the lever arm so that the valve opens when the desired pressure Within the compression chamber is attained by raising the valve plug from its seat within the valvebody, thus permitting the compression fluid ['3 positioned ithereon, respectively. Itshould be understood that any number of shelves maybe,

placed in the compression chamber, their :number bein determined by the size of the chamber fluid within the chamber.

and the size of the veneered articles being produced. The shelves are secured to the sides of the compression chamber in any suitable manner, such as by brackets (not shown), and are preferably removable to permit articles of different sizes to be placed in the same chamber.

A sprinkler pipe 69 connected to chamber by brackets a is positioned above shelves =66 and 61 and has a plurality of holes 10 therein which are so positioned that water may be sprayed over the containers on the shelves. The sprinkler pipe is connected to a water supply pipe 1| which extends through the chamber body 44 and which has a valve 12 therein to permit control of the operation of the sprinkler pipe. The water in pipe H is under greater pressure than the pressure used within the chamber so that the water passes freely into the chamber through the sprinkler pipe. To drain water accumulatin from both the sprinkler pipe and condensed compressing fluid, a valve is provided in the bottom of the chamber. Suitable heating means is preferably provided for heating the compression For purposes of illustration, a steam coil 13 is shown within the chamber at the right-hand end thereof, as viewed in Figure 5. The flow of steam through this coil is controlled by valve 14, and thus the temperature of the compression fluid within the chamber may be raised when it is desirable.

In operation, after the air exhaustion apparatus I2 is connected to the mouth of container II by container because air cannot flow through check valve (Figure 6), as described hereinabove. Because of the vacuum drawn on container (Figure 3), atmospheric pressure presses the container against the veneering material, which is in turn pressed against mandrel l4. At this time, if the veneering material does not fit the mandrel properly, it can be adjusted to the mandrel by using a rubber hammer or other suitable instrument. Next, hose 4| is disconnected from conduit 40, and the container with the air exhaustion apparatus connected thereto is placed in the compression chamber (Figure 5).

After containers H and 68, with their contents and with their respective air exhaustion apparatuses, are placed upon the shelves 66 and 61, conduit 54 which forms the entrance for the compression fluid into the chamber is connected by a hose 80 having a branch 43 thereon to the necks of the ejector units 33 and 8|. Hose 8|], which may be made of rubber or any suitable flexible material, is connected to conduit 54 by a clamp 82 and to the necks of ejector units 33 and 8| by removable clamps 38 and 83, respectively. Next, the manhole is placed over the entrance of the compression chamber, clamped into place, and valves 50 and 15 are closed. Then the adjustable exhaust valve is set at the pressure required by the typeof veneering to be done, and if the type of compression fluid and the type of molding requires it, valve 14 may be opened to place steam heating coil 13 in operation. Next, a compression fluid valve is opened, and, as pointed ting the compression fluid to press the veneer-- ing material tightly against the mandrel. The presence of air and other fluids in the containers is very often caused by irregular shaped 'mandrels, the contour of which the veneering material does not follow until it is placed under pressure in the compression chamber. Furthermore,

moisture and other fluids may be given off into the container from the mandrel and the veneer during heating, if heat is used. The vacuums drawn on the containers are maintained at all times because the check valves 25 and 85 prevent the flow of compression fluid or air into the containers. As the compression fluid flows directly into the compression chamber from the ejector units, the pressure is soon raised to the desired degree, at which time the exhaust valve 58 opens. The flow of the compression fluid may be continued after the desired pressure is reached to permit complete adjustment of the veneering material to the mandrel and to maintain the temperature required by the material being.

veneered. Throughout this period, the compression fluid circulates through the chamber to cretainers. the compression fluid within the chamber, the

position of container 68 and its air exhaustion apparatus |3 may be reversed so that air exhaustion apparatus I3 is positioned adjacent the righthand end of the chamber, as viewed in Figure 6, and so that the nozzle of ejector unit8| points upwardly. Hose is then lengthened so that it would reach the neck of ejector unit 8|. the ejector units thus positioned, rotary circulation of the compression fluid is obtained within the chamber.

During the operation of the compression chamber, it should be noted that each container and its air exhaustion apparatus operates as a separate unit, and thus, if a break should occur in one of the containers, the break cannot affect the operation of the other unit. Furthermore, pressure conditions within the chamber are not affected 1) the failure of a collapsible container.

After the heating period has passed, if the molding material is one requiring heat, th steam valves 56 and 14 may be turned off. A flow of compressed air may be then passed through the chamber out through the exhaust valve, and, if

further cooling is desired, water may be sprinkled Next, valve 15 is opened to drain the water in the chamber resulting from the use of the sprinkler pipe 10 or condensation of the compression fluid. The manhole is then opened, clamps 38 and 83 loosened, the hose removed from the necks of the ejector units, and the containers with their air With 1 exhaustion apparatuses removed from the chain-'- ber. Valves 20 and 90 on the air exhaustion apparatuses are then opened to destroy the vacuum within the containers, clamps l8 and 9] are removed, and the molded articlesare'taken from the containers and removed from their ma'ndr'els.

Thus, ,eflicient and practical apparatus for molding has been disclosed in which the objects hereinabove mentioned, as well as many others,

are successfully accomplished. Furthermore, ap-

paratus has been disclosed which is readily adapt- .able for use with a variety of diflerent moldable' materials. 1

As many possible embodiments may be made of the mechanical features of the above invention, it is to be understood that all matter hereinabove set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted asillustrative and not in a limiting sense. a v

'I claim: g

'1. In molding apparatus, in combination, a compression chamber, a fluid-tight collapsible container positioned Within said compression chamber, an ejector operable by fluid under com pression, mean connecting said ejector to the.

interior of said collapsible container, a compress sion fluid, and a conduit connected to said ejector for conducting the compression fluid. thereto, said conduitopening into said ejector, and'said ejector opening into said chamber, said ejector drawing fluid from said collapsible container through said first-mentioned means a said compression'fluid passes through said ejector.

2. In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a compression chamber, a'plurality of fluid-tight collapsible containers positioned within said compression chamber, a plurality of ejectors operable by fluid under compression, means connecting each of said ejectors to the interior of a collapsible container, a compression fluid, conduit means connected to each of said ejectors for conducting the compression fluid to them, said conduit means openin into each of said ejectors,

andsaid ejectors each opening into said chamber,

said ejectors each drawing fluid from the collapsible container to which they are connected as said compression fluid passes through said ejectors.

3. In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a compression chamber, a plurality of fluid-tight collapsible container positioned with-v in said chamber, a plurality of evacuating devices,-

operable by fluid under compression, each of said evacuating devices including an ejector, a conduit leading from said ejector to the interior of a collapsible container, and a check valve positioned.

in said conduit for preventing the'flow of fluid through said ejector and conduit into said collapsible container, a compression fluid, a conduit connected to each of said ejectors for conducting the compression fluid thereto, each of said lastmentioned conduits opening into its ejector, and each of said ejectors opening into said chamber, said ejectors each drawing fluid from its collapsible container through its conduit and its; check valve and discharging said fluid into said compression chamber as said compression fluid passes through said ejectors. 4. In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a compression chamber, a plurality of fluid-tight flexible containers positioned within and exhausts it into said compression chamber;

the compression fluid entering said chamber through said fluid evacuating means acting-a a. compression fluid within said compression chamber and exerting pressure against the exterior of said flexible containers.

5.. In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a'compression chamber, a flexiblefluidtight container positioned within said chamber, fluid evacuating means positioned in said compression chamber operable by fluid under com-q pression, means for connecting said evacuating means to the interior of said container, a com.- pression fluid, and a conduit connected to said fluid evacuating means for conductin said compression fluid thereto, said conduit opening into said fluid evacuating means and said fluid exacuating means exhausting whereby said compression fluid acts through said fluid evacuating means to evacuate fluid from said.

flexible container and exhausts the fluid evacuated into said chamber.

6., In apparatus of the nature described, in combination, a compression chamber, a fluid-tight collapsible container positioned within said compression chamber, fluid evacuating means, conduit means for connecting said fluid evacuating means to the interior of said container, a compre sion fluid, a conduit connected to said fluid evacuating means for conducting said compression fluid vto said fluid evacuating means, said conduit opening into said fluid evacuating means and said fluid evacuating means opening into said chamber, whereby said compression fluid acts through said fluid evacuating means to evacuate air from the collapsible container into the compression chamber, and an adjustable exhaust valve mounted in the side wall of said compression chamber whereby the pressure withinsaid chamber may be regulated.

'7. In molding apparatus, in combination, a. compression chamber," a fluid-tight collapsible container positioned within said compression chamber, an ejector operable by fluid under compression, a conduit connecting said ejector to the interior of said collapsibl container, a check valve positioned in said conduit, said check valve'pr'ee venting flow of fluid through said ejector and said conduitinto said container when said ejector is not in operation, a compression fluid, a conduit connected to said ejector for conducting the com v pression fluid thereto, said conduit opening into said ejector, and said ejector opening into said chamber, said ejector drawing fluid from said col lapsible container through said first-mentioned conduit and said check valve as said compression" fluid passes through said ejector,

WALTER G. DE BERG, JR.

into said chamber, 

